Web propelling roller



W. F. HUCK WEB PROPELLING ROLLER May Z3, 1944.

Filed March 5, 1941 3' Sheets-Sheet 1 :ln/vento@ May 23, 1944. w. F. HUcK WEB PROPELLING ROLLER .y

Fiied Maron 5. 1941 :s sheets-sheet 2 aww/MM @MHZMZ ffl?! MVAMMA May 23, 1944. W, F, HUCK WEB PROPELLING ROLLE Filed March 5, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ffii/WH Lum mM km.. wm w MUNN Patented May 23, 1944 WEB PROPELLING ROLLER William F. Huck, Richmond Hill, N, Y., assignor to R. Hoe & Co., Inc., Bronx, N. Y., a, corporation of New York Application March 5, 1941, Serial No. 381,907

21 Claims.

This invention relates to web feeding, propelling or nipping rollers, and more particularly to rollers of this character having yieldable Webengaging components to feed or propel webs and also sheets cut from webs, in printing machines.

Considerable dilculty has been experienced heretofore in propelling thin materials, such as paper Webs and the like, when such propelling operation has been accomplished through the instrumentality of the usual cylindrical feeding or nipping rollers. If such rollers are not disposed in exact parallelism, the web is fed faster at one end than at the other. Again, if the propelling rollers arel not axially straight or concentrically uniform, uneven feeding results. Furthermore, if any foreign substance should adhere to the web or to the peripheral portion of the feeding rollers, or should unequal thicknesses of the web reach the feeding rollers, uneven feeding or tearing of the web may result.

Web feeding or propelling rollers having yieldable web-engaging traction rings have been developed, and rollers of this character are disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,827,359, granted October 13, 1931, to F. Gitzendanner.

As shown in the Gitzendanner specification, it is customary to furnish feeding or nipping rollers of this type each having a plurality of nipping units, the several units being supported on a common shaft so as to engage the web at a number of places, and the arrangement herein disclosed is intended to be used in the same manner, although providing certain additional features, among which are means for independent adjustment of each of the units while the machine is running.

Feeding rollers of this general type have been available for use at various locations in printing machines for feeding webs and also for forwarding products cut from webs, and as heretofore used, have been mounted to press the web against a solid feeding roller, both rollers being run at a peripheral speed slightly in excess of the web speed, this slight excess speed being necessaryr in order to take up any slack that may be present in a web initially or that develops later during operation of the machine. This speed difference necessitates a certain amount of slippage between the rollers and the web, and under conditions of excessive pressure, results in either tearing or marring the surface of the web. When web feeding rollers of this type are used in a rotary folder and act to speed up folded sheets'as they are passed to a'vdelivery, the same difficulty is caused by the increased speed of the rollers. With the arrangement herein disclosed, wherein two rollers both having yieldable traction rings are employed, one at either side of the webs, the adjusting means provided, may be so set that the traction rings will slip within the bodies of the rollers and there will be no slippage between the rings and the material passing between them.

For convenience, the term web is herein used in a general sense, and is' intended to include sheets that have been cut from a running web, and may be folded or not.

Frequently, it is necessary to simultaneously feed one group of webs that have been associated in face to face relation, and also another group comprising a greater or lesser number of similarly associated webs, both groups being fed side by side and with their adjacent edges substantially in abutting relation. It is desirable to propel the Webs by means contacting them near their edges but it is impractical to adjust any previously known form of feeding or nipping roller so that it will provide satisfactory traction on adjacent edges of two groups of webs running edge to edge where the thickness of the groups varies to any appreciable extent. However, with feeding rollers having nipping units arranged with double yieldable traction rings as herein disclosed, each traction ring will operate independently of the other, one providing proper traction to propel the thicker group of Webs, while the other acts with the required pressure to propel the thinner group.

The rollers of this invention are also especially advantageous for folding rollers of very wide folders, such as are used when one or more wide webs are folded crosswise without rst being folded lengthwise, because when ordinary rollers are used under such conditions, it is usually impossible to make them of a diameter that Will provide the stiffness necessary to their engagement with the web throughout their length, but the rollers of this invention can be made very long without proportionately increasing their diameter, and if any deflection results during operation, the traction rings throughout the length of the roller will all nevertheless be maintained in proper engaging position.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide cooperating feeding or nipping rollers having yieldable rotary web-engaging components which automatically adjust themselves independently to yieldingly engage the opposite surfacesof the engaged Web or webs.

Another object-'of this invention is to provide a web feeding roller having a pair of adjacently supported yieldable rotary web-engaging components which automatically adjust themselves to separately engage the web, so that webs of different thickness or unequal numbers of webs may be fed at each end of the feeding roller.

A further object of this invention is to provide a web feeding roller having a yieldable rotary web-engaging component which yieldably engages the web under predetermined operating pressure, and means for adjusting the operating tension of the web-engaging component while the feeding roller is in operation. i

It is also an object of this invention to provide a feeding, propelling or nipping roller of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use. l

With the foregoing and other objects in View, 20 which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details vof construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion 1, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without .departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

For a complete disclosure of the invention, 2.5.3 detailed description thereof will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part `of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmental end view of the improved cooperating feeding or nipping rollers; 22;;

Figure 2 is a fragmental plan view of the improved cooperating feeding or nipping rollers, parts appearing in section; f

Figure 3 is a fragmental plan view of a slightly modified feeding roller unit; 540

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view depicting the relative position of components of cooperating rollers while feeding or propelling different numbers of Webs;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view depicting theffy cooperating rollers in operation at an associating location;

Figure 6 is a sectional plan view with certain parts broken away, showing a modified form of the invention, in which provision is made for ef,` fecting adjustment simultaneously and equally 50 of each of a pair of cooperating feeding rollers; and

Figure 7 is an elevational view of the form of the invention shown in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar 55 reference characters designate corresponding parts, I0 indicates the driven shafts of cooperating feeding or nipping rollers, and each shaft supports a plurality of feeding units II. Each feed-I` ing unit includes a cylindrical collar I2 having an 60 outer cy1indrical surface I3 and a ange I5 having an inner bearing face I6. A set screw I1 is threaded through the flange I5, and engages the supporting shaft I0 to securely lock the collar I2., against both rotary and longitudinal movement on the shaft I0.

A cylindrical sleeve I8 is slidably mounted on the shaft Ill adjacent the fixed collar I2, and this sleeve is provided with a flange 20, which has a l bearing face 2I. The sleeve I8 is held against rotation relative to the collar I2 by an aligning pin 22, and the cylindrical shank of the pin 22 is received within a hole 23 drilled in the collar I2, and the inner 'terminal of the pin 22 is provided with threads 24 which screw into a threaded hole 75 ameter of the washer 42.

25 in the flange of the sleeve I8. The aligning pin 22 is provided with a head 28 which is received within a counterbore 21, and the length of the shank 22 is such that the inner terminal of the head 26 does not engage the inner end of the counterbore 21, so that longitudinal movement of the sleeve I8 relative to the fixed collar I2 is permitted. The sleeve I8 is provided with a seat 23 for the reception of a bearing ring 29 which is fitted to the sleeve I8. The ring 29 is provided with a deep annular groove 30 for the reception of a plurality of anti-friction bearing balls 3| of vusual construction, and these balls are also received in a deep annular groove 32 formed in an outer bearing ring 33 which is received within recess 35 formed in a cylindrical ange 36 that extends axially inward from a sliding collar 31. The outer edge of the outer bearing ring 33 engages a shoulder 38, and the inner edge of this bearing ring is engaged by a snap ring 39 which is received in a recess 4U formed in the flange 36. By this arrangement, the outer bearing ring 33 is held within the flange 36, and the bearing structure serves as both a radial and `thrust bearing.

When the feeding rollers are to be operated at a location where different numbers of webs are to be simultaneously engaged, preferably two adjacently positioned traction rings 4I are employed and are mounted within the recess in the collar I2, and between the bearing face I6 of the flange I 5 and the bearing face 2I of the sleeve I8. `The rings 4I are preferably separated by a washer 42 which is loosely mounted on the shaft I0, but is prevented from turning thereon by means of a pin or key 42a, but if preferred, the washer 42 and the pin 42a may b e omitted.

The inner diameter of each traction ring 4I is appreciably greater than the outer diameter of the ring supporting portion of the collar I2, so that the rings are supported in floating relation by the collar I2 and sleeve I8, and the outside diameter of each ring 4I is greater than'the outside diameters of the flanges I5 and 20 of the collar and the sleeve, and also greater than the outside di- The traction rings 4I operate under pressure 'of the faces I6 and 2|, as will be hereinafter disclosed.

' At diametrically opposed points, the sliding collar 31 is fiattened, as indicated at 43, and each flat Surface 43 is engaged by a link 44 that is pivotally secured to the collar 31 by a shouldered screw 45, or other suitable securing device, which'exten'ds through a slot 46 formed vadjacent one end of each link. Each link 44 is fulcrumed to a bracket 41 by a shouldered screw 48, or other suitable securing device, which extends through an aperture 49 formed in the intermediate portion of the link 44, Each bracket 41 is secured to a supporting rod 50 by a set screw 5 I, or other suitable securing device, and each rod 50 is suitably supported by the machine frame in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art, and consequently not illustrated in this application. The other end of each of the links 44 is provided with a hole 52 for the pivotal reception of one of the gudgeons 53 formed on the ends of a rock shaft 54.` The intermediateportion of the rock shaft 54 is provided with a hole 55 for the sliding reception of a stem 56 formed on an adjusting screw 51. The adjusting screw 51 is provided with threads 58 which engage a threaded hole formed in a cylindrical head BI carried at the outer end of an arm 62 which extends outwardly from the bracket 41. The adjusting screw 51 is provided with a manipulating head or knob 63, and a lock'or jam nut 65 having. a head 66, is provided to lock the screw in position. The rock shaft 54 in engaged by one end of a helical extensionuspring 10, and the other end of this spring engages a shoulder formed between the adjusting screw l and its stem 56. The outer end of the adjusting screw stem 56 is threaded for the reception of a securing nut 'l2 and a jam nut 13, and the inner face of the nut 12 engages a flat surface I5 formed on the rock shaft 54.

By this arrangement, the spring imparts a pressure tending to swing the links 44, on the fulcrum screws 48 and thereby clamp the traction rings 4| between the face 2| of the sleeve IS and the face I6 of the collar l2. Obviously, any desired operating pressure vmay be exerted on the rings 4| by turning the adjusting screw 5l. After the desired pressure has been obtained, the jam nut 65 is tightened.

The form of the invention depicted in Figure 3 is similar to that disclosed in Figures l and 2, except that a single traction ring 4| is employed in each feed unit Il instead of the double rings. The supporting components for the ring lli are the same as the supporting components for the double traction rings 4| except that the collar l2 is made axially shorter to accommodate the single ring 4|.

This invention contemplates the location of the feeding units at any preferred location along the shafts Ill. If different numbers of webs are to be fed by the web-contacting portion of a feed roller at each side of a transverse axis of the roller, then a feeding unit having double traction rings 4| is located at the intermediate portion .of a shaft lll, and the feed units I| having single traction rings 4| are located at the terminals of the shaft, but if desired feeding units having the double traction rings may be used in all locations, It is preferred that rigid roller sections 'Vi be secured on the shafts I0 at locations intermediate the feed units and Il. In arrangements wherea like number of webs are to be fed at each end of the feed rollers, then the feed-units II' may be employed at the intermediate and terminal portions of the shaft, or, if preferred, the feed units may be positioned throughout the length of the shafts.

In operation, the feed or propelling rollersmay be positioned at any preferred propelling location in a printing machine. When the propelling rollers are located ahead of a folder at a location where broad webs have been slit into narrower ribbons or webs W, and where different numbers of webs W are directed to each end of a feed roller, then the improved feeding rollers are arranged so that a unit ||Yhaving double traction rings 4| is located at the intermediate or central portion of each shaft I6, and the units il having a single traction ring 4|' are located at the ends of the roller. The shafts I0 are geared together by any suitable gears, not shown, but well understood by those skilled in the art, so that the shafts I0 and traction rings 4| and 4|' rotate towards each other. By this arrangement, different numbers of webs W may be fed at one side of the central units than at the other, and the operating characteristics of the yielding traction rings 4| readily accommodate the unequal number of webs W at each side of f the unit. Since the rings 4| and 4l are supported in floating relation to their supports, and their outer diameters are sufficiently large to insure rolling contact at-their-bite, irrespective of the numbery of webs engaged, positive and controlled feeding tension is assured. During the operation of the feeding rollers, if a given adjustment does not exert the required pull or dragon the webs W, then this drag may be increased or reduced by manipulating the adjusting wheel 63, If a greater number of webs are to be located at one side of the intermediate traction ring 4| than at the other, one of the double traction rings-4| in each'feed um'tfwill be forced inwardly suiicient to accommodate the additional webs, and inasmuch as opposed cooperating traction rings are employed, each of the opposed rings which engage the increased number of webs will yield inwardly so that the increased biting space between the rollers is equal- 'ized and the increased number of webs is propelled smoothly. The outer edges of the Webs W are engaged by the feed or propelling rollers 4|', and since these rollers engage like numbers of webs, a single ring usually suffices in these locations.

Feeding rol-1ers of this character are advantageously employed in web associating locations, as indicated in Figure 5, Where a plurality of Webs are guided'by rollers 18 to the cooperating feeding rollers and the feeding rollers can accommodate any number of webs at either end of the rollers and insure smooth, uniform pull of the engaged webs. Similarly, when rollers arranged as herein disclosed are employed in rotary folders, the action described permits the folding of arelatively thick product by certain portions of the rollers, while a thinner product is being folded by other portions. l

While the arrangement, as shown in the drawings, wherein a plurality of feeding or propelling units are used on each of two web propelling rollers, and the traction rings carried by each roller are positioned directly opposite traction rings carried by the other roller is preferred, it

will be understood that it is practical to use traction rings as herein shown, on but one of the rollers and rigidly mounted traction rings opposite them on the other roller if such an arrangement is preferred, and also it is practical to use a roller having traction rings as herein described in combination with a plain web roller. With either of these arrangements, automatic adjustment of the traction rings to accommodate different thicknesses in the'webs passing between them will be obtained, but as the plain roller would not have friction driven traction rings, there would necessarily be some slippage between it and the web, unless it were a free running roller, in which case it would be necessary to impose additional pressure on the traction rings of the driven roller in order to produce the necessary pull on the web.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, means are provided for simultaneously and equally adjusting a traction ring on each of a pair of cooperating feeding units, that are adjacent one end of each of a pair of feeding rollers, and means are shown also for similarly adjusting the traction rings of other feeding units that are some distance from the ends of the rollers, the adjustments in both cases being effected by means located outside of the machine.

In this arrangement. a single traction ring 4|', as shown in Figure 3, is employed-but it will be understood that the multiple rings 4|, shown in Figure 2,v may be used whenever desired. In this arrangement, the sliding collar 31 of feeding `units iQ-and is formed with flattened surfaces 43', and' levers 84 are pivotally connected to the sliding collars 31,by means of shouldered screws 45', which extend through slots 46 formed in each end of each of the levers. The midpoint of each leveris pivotally connected to a bar 8| by a shouldered screw 82, or other suitable securing device. The bar 8| is provided with an aperture 83 mid-way ofv its length, through which the small end 85 of an adjusting rod 86 extends. The rod 86 has an adjusting head 8.1 secured thereto, and has a threaded portion 88 which is screwed into a threaded hole 9.0 in a bracket 9|, suitably secured to the frame of the machine. -Where the small and large portions of the rod 88 meet,` a shoulder 92 is formed, which forms an abutment for a Washer 93, and a similar washer 95 is pressed against the bar 8| by a spring 96 held between the Washers. A nut 91 is secured to the outer end of the small diameter portion 85 of the rod 86, and bears against a Washer 98, which in turn bears against the bar 8|. It will be understood that-by rotating the head 81 by means of a suitable pin or other tool placed in any one yof the holes I|,

that pressure through the spring 96 will be im posed on the sliding collars 31 of feeding units 19 and 80, and the pressure on the traction rings 4| of both the feeding units, will be simultaneously and equally adjusted.

Feeding units |02 and |03 of this modified arrangement, which are mounted at a distance from the ends of the feeding rollers, are similar to the feeding units 19 and 80, except that they have sliding collars 85, formed somewhat differently from the collars 31', but in other respects,l :i

are the same. The sliding collars are provided with flattened seats |06 arranged to be connected to links |01, which are secured to the collars by shouldered screws |08, which pass through holes ||0 formed in one end of each link |81 and also through spacer collars and are screwed into the sliding collars |05. The

lopposite ends of each link |01 have holes ||2.

houldered screws I3 pass through these holes and are screwed into threaded holes i4 in levers'v l l5. These levers have center holes I6 by which they are pivotally connected, by shouldered screws ||9 that screw into threaded holes |20 in arms ||1, formed on a hub H8, that is fitted to move freely on a cylindrical portion |2| of an" justing member meets the cylindrical portion:

|2I, a shoulder |28 is formed, which serves as an abutment for one end of a spring |30, the

other end of Which abuts against the hub ||8.

With the arrangement outlined, it will be seen that by rotating the head |23, pressure Will be i imposed on the hub ||8 through the spring |30, and this pressure will be carried through the arms ||1, the levers ||5 and the links |01 to the sliding collars |05, and thereby effect simultaneous and equal -pressure on the rings 4| of feeding units |02 and |03.

It will be understood that -the arrangement shown in Figures and 7 may be duplicated for other portions of the rollers adjacent the opposite yside of the machine, by a similar arrange- A threaded portion |26,-

Ament of telescope shafts and connecting parts, ortheir equivalent, so that all adjustments for feeding rollershaving feeding units adjacent their ends, Vand also intermediate their end por- ;tions, may be made from the outside of the machine. 1 I

Although the opposed .traction rings of each pair of cooperating propelling units have been illustrated in vthis application as being of the same diameter, it isV to be understood, of course,

that if desired, one tractionring of a cooperating pair may be made smallerthan the other. If in the arrangement depicted in Figures 6 and 7 oneof the traction rings is made smaller than the other, then the resulting reduced pressure or friction area of; this ring and its engaging collar and sleeve would vary the degree ofv propelling torque impartedto the traction ring, but this could be compensated for by simply applying pressure to the lever which connects the sleeves of the cooperating pair of units at a point nearer toone end of the lever than the other.

, It will be understood ythat the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from. the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed forms a part of the invention included in this application.

What I claim is:

l. A pair of cooperating Aweb propelling rollers each including, a driven shaft, a plurality of web feeding units secured to, and rotatable with the shaft, each feedingv unit having a plurality of independently yieldable traction members operably supported thereby andthe outside diameter of each traction member being greater than the outside diameter of its supporting unit, the trac- `tion members of each roller independently cooperating with the traction members of the other roller to propel webs therebetween in such manner that certain traction members may engage and propel a different lnumber of webs than others.

2. A web propelling roller adapted to cooperate with a second roller and including, a driven shaft, web feeding units secured to the intermediate and terminal portions of the shaft and rotatable therewith, a plurality of independently yieldable traction members operably supported by the intermediate feeding unit, a ysingle yieldable traction member operably supported by each terminal feeding unit and the outside diameter of each traction member being greater than the outside diameter of its supporting unit, the traction members of the intermediate feeding unit independently cooperating with the second roller to propel webs,v so that one traction member may engage and propel a different number of webs than the other, and the traction members of each terminal feeding unit cooperating with the second roller to propel webs therebetween.

3. Cooperatingweb propelling rollers, each roller including, a driven shaft, web feeding units secured to the intermediate and terminal portions of the shaft and rotatable therewith, a plurality of independently yieldable traction members operably supported by each intermediate web vfeeding unit and the outside diameter of each traction member being greater then the outside diameter of its supporting unit, the traction members ofthe intermediate unit independently cooperating with like traction members of the opposed propelling roller to engage and propel webs therebetween so that one traction member may engage and propel a different number of webs than the other, and the traction member of each terminal web feeding unit cooperating with a like traction member of the opposed propelling roller to engage and propel the webs therebetween.

4. A web propelling roller including, a. driven shaft, a collar rigidly secured to and rotatable with the shaft, a sleeve slidably supported by the shaft and secured against rotation relative to the collar, an annular traction member of `greater outside diameter than the collar or sleeve and yieldably supported between the collar and the sleeve, the yieldability of the traction member being determined by the pressure exerted thereon by the sleeve and the collar, and meansv operable while the roller is rotating for adjustably increasing-or decreasing the pressure imparted to the traction member by the sleeve.

5. A web propelling roller including, a driven shaft, a first collar rigidly secured to and rotatable with the shaft, a sleeve-sldably supported by the shaft and secured against rotation relative to the said collar, a traction ring of vlarger outside diameter than the sleeve or said collar and yieldably supported therebetween, the yieldability of the ring being determined by the pressure exerted thereon by the sleeve and the collar, a second collar, a thrust bearing between the second collar and the sleeve, and means acting through the second collar Vand the sleeve and operable while the roller, sleeve and first collar are rotating, to adjustably move the sleeve to increase or decrease the pressure imparted to the traction ring.

6. A web propelling roller including, a driven shaft, a first collar rigidly secured to and rotatable with the shaft, a sleeve slidably supported by the shaft and secured against rotation relative to the said collar, a traction ringv of larger outside diameter than the sleeve or of said collar and yieldably supported therebetween, the yieldability of the ring being determined by the pressure exerted thereon by the sleeve, a second collar, a thrust bearing between the second collar and the sleeve, a supported bracket, a lever fulcrumed to the bracket and pivotally connected with the second collar, and means for constantly exerting a tension on the lever to thereby bias the second collar and sleeve towards the ring to yieldably bindthe ring between the sleeve and the second collar, andkmeans for adjustably increasing or decreasing the tension exerted on the lever to thereby adjustably control the yieldability of the rmg.

7. In a propelling unit for a web propelling roller having a shaft, a collar secured to the shaft, a traction ring surrounding the shaft 'and having a larger diameter than the collar, a sliding sleeve rotating with the shaft and having a smaller diameter than the ring, an adjusting device mounted in fixed position adjacent the shaft, and means connected with the adjusting device to impose pressure on the sleeve and clamp the ring between the sleeve and the collar.

8. In a propelling unit for a web vpropelling roller having a shaft, a collar secured to the shaft, a plurality of traction rings surrounding the shaft and having a larger diameter than the collar, a sliding sleeve rotating withxtlie shaft and having a smaller diameter than the rings, an adjusting device mounted in xed position adjacent the shaft, and means connected with the adjusting device to impose pressure on the sleeve and clamp the rings between the sleeve and the collar. I

9. In a propelling unit `for a web propelling roller having a shaft, a collar secured to the shaft, a traction ring surrounding the shaft and having a larger diameter than the collar, a sliding washer rotating with the shaft and having a smaller diameter than the ring, a second traction ring similar to the first mentioned traction ring, a sliding sleeve rotating with the shaft and having a smaller diameter than the rings, a screw adjustment device mounted in fixed position adjacent the shaft, and means connected with the screw adjustment device to impose pressure on the sleeve and clamp the rings between the sleeve, the washer, and the collar.

10. In a web propelling device, a propelling roller and a cooperating roller each having a shaft, the rollers being supported adjacent to each other and running in' opposite directions, a plurality of propelling units secured to the propelling roller shaft, each unitincluding a collar secured to the shaft, a traction rin-g surrounding the shaft and having a larger diameter than the collar, a sliding sleeve rotating with the shaft and having a smaller diameter than the ring, an adjusting member mounted in fixed position adjacent the shaft, and means connected with the adjusting member to impose pressure on the sleeve and clamp the ring between the sleeve and the collar, whereby the traction rings of the propelling unit will engage the cooperating roller to propel Webs led between the rollers, and each propelling unit may be adjusted while the rollers are in operation to obtainy a desired pull on the web.

11. In a web propelling device, a pair of propelling rollers each having a shaft, the rollers being supported adjacent to each other and driven in opposite directions, a plurality of propellingr units secured to each of the shafts, each unit including a collar secured to the shaft, a traction ring surrounding the shaft and having a larger diameter than the collar, a sliding sleeve rotating with the shaft and having a smaller diameter than the ring, a screw adjustment device mounted in fixed position adjacent the shaft, and means connected with the screw adjustment device to impose pressure on the sleeve and clamp the ring between the sleeve and the collar; the said propelling units being so located on the shafts that the traction rings of one roller will oppose the traction rings of the other roller, whereby the traction rings will act to propel webs led between the rollers, and each propelling unit may be adjusted while the rollers are in operation to obtain a desired pull on the web.

l2. Web propelling rollers including, opposed cooperating driven web feeding units having rigid peripheral portions, a yieldable traction member operably supported by and rotatable with each feeding unit and the outside diameter of each traction member being greater than the outside diameter of its supporting feeding unit, the yieldable traction members cooperating in opposition and being yieldable transversely to their axes to yieldably engage the opposed sides of a web or plurality of webs running between them to thereby propel the webs, means for exerting pressure axially on each traction member, and means for simultaneously adjusting the pressure on each of a plurality of opposed cooperating traction members. y

13. Web propelling rollers including, opposed cooperating driven web feeding units havingT rigid peripheral portions, yieldable traction members operably supported by and rotatable with each feeding unit and the outside diameter of each raction member being greater than the outside diameter of its supporting Afeeding unit, the yieldable traction members cooperating in opposition and being yieldable transversely to their axes to yieldably engage the opposed sidesof a web or plurality of webs running between them to thereby propel the webs, means for exerting pressure axially on each traction member, and means for simultaneously adjusting the pressure on each of a plurality of opposed cooperating traction members, including a pressure distributing member arranged to maintain substantially equal pressure on each of the opposed cooperating traction members.

14. In a web propelling device, cooperating propelling rollers disposed in parallelism adjacent each other, a shaft for each roller, the roller shafts being driven in opposite directions, a propelling unit for each propelling roller, each propelling unit including a collar secured to the roller shaft, a slidable sleeve rotatable with the roller shaft, a traction ring surrounding the roller shaft and interposed between the collar and the sleeve and frictionally engaged by the collar and sleeve whereby propelling torque is imparted to the traction ring commensurate with the pressure exerted on the traction ring by the collar and sleeve, a lever operably connected to each sleeve, and means for exerting yieldable pressure on the lever at a point interposed between its connections with the sleeves to thereby exert yieldable pressure on the sleeves to clamp the traction rings between the sleeves and the collars whereby the traction rings of the rollers will operably engage each other to propel webs led between the rollers.

15. In a web propelling device, cooperating propelling rollers disposed in parallelism adjacent each other, a shaft for each roller, the roller shafts being driven in opposite directions, a propelling unit for each propelling roller, each propelling unit including a collar secured to the roller shaft, a. slidable sleeve rotatable with the roller shaft, a traction ring surrounding the roller shaft and interposed between the collar and the sleeve and friotionally engaged by the collar and sleeve whereby propelling torque is imparted to the traction ring commensurate with the pressure exerted on the traction ring by the collar and sleeve, a, lever operably connected to each sleeve, means for exerting yieldable pressure on the lever at a point interposed between its connections with the sleeves to thereby exert yieldable pressure on the sleeves to clamp the traction rings between the sleeves and the collars whereby the traction rings of the rollers will operably engage each other to propel webs led between the rollers, and means for adjustably varying the yieldable pressure exerted on the lever to thereby vary the pressure imparted to the sleeves.

16. In a, web propelling device, cooperating propelling rollers disposed in parallelism adjacent each other, a shaft for each roller, the roller shafts being driven in opposite directions, a propeiling unit for each propelling roller, each propelling -unit including a collar secured to the roller shaft, a slidable sleeve rotatable with the roller shafts, a traction ring surrounding the roller shaft and interposed between the collar and the sleeve and frictionally engaged by the collar and sleeve whereby propelling torque is imparted to the traction ring. a lever pivotly connected at each terminal to each sleeve, an adjusting rod operably secured to the lever at a point intermediate the terminals of the lever, means for adjustably moving the adjustable rod to impart axial movement to the lever and sleeves to exert pressure on the sleeves to thereby clamp the traction rings between the sleeves and the collars whereby the traction rings of the rollers will operably engage each other to propel webs led between the rollers and yieldable means interposed between the lever and adjusting rod to thereby impart yieldable pressure to the lever.

17. In a web propelling device, cooperating propelling rollers disposed in parallelism adjacent each other, a shaft for each roller, the roller shafts being driven in opposite direction, a plurality of propelling units for each propelling roller, a unit of one roller cooperating with a similar unit of the opposed roller to thereby provide a cooperating pair of units, each propelling unit including a collar secured to the roller shaft, a slidable sleeve rotatable with the roller shaft, a traction ring surrounding the roller shaft and interposed between the collar and the sleeve and frictionally engaged by the collar and sleeve whereby propelling torque is imparted to the traction ring commensurate with the pressure exerted on the traction ring by the collar and sleeve, a lever operably connected to the sleeves of each pair of cooperating units, independent means for exerting yieldable pressure on each lever at a point interposed between its connections with the sleeves of each pair of cooperating units to thereby exert yieldable pressure on the sleeves to clamp the traction rings between the sleeves and collars whereby the traction rings of each cooperating pair of units will operably engage each other to propel webs led between the rollers.

18. In a web propelling device, cooperating propelling rollers disposed in parallelism adjacent each other, a shaft for each roller, the roller shafts being driven in opposite direction, a plurality of propelling units for each propelling roller, a propelling unit of one roller cooperating with a similar unit of the opposed roller to thereby provide a cooper-ating pair of units, each propelling unit including a collar secured to the roller shaft, a slidable sleeve rotatable with the roller shaft, a traction ring surrounding the roller shaft and interposed between the collar and the sleeve and frictionally engaged by the collar an'd sleeve whereby propelling torque is imparted to the traction ring commensurate with the pressure exerted on the traction ring by the collar and sleeve, a lever operably connected to the sleeves of each pair of cooperating units, an axially adjustable member yieldably connected to one lever to thereby impart axial movement to the lever and the sleeves of the cooperating units with which the lever is operably connected, an adjusting rod axial movable within the said adjusting member and yieldably connected to the intermediate portion of a second lever to thereby impart axial movement to the lever and the sleeves of the cooperating units with which this lever is operably connected to thereby exert yieldable pressure on the sleeves to clamp the traction rings between the sleeves and the collars whereby the traction rings of each cooperating pair of units will operably engage each other to propel webs led between the rollers.

19. A web propelling roller including, a driven shaft, a collar member rigidly secured to yand rotatable with the shaft, sleeves slidably sup- :ported by the shaft and secured against rotation relative thereto, traction rings of greater outside diameter than the collar or sleeves surrounding the shaft and yieldably supported between the said members, the yieldability of the traction rings being determined by the pressure exerted thereon by the sleeves and the collar, and means operable While the roller is rotating for adjustably increasing or decreasing the pressure irnparted to the traction member by the sleeves.

20. A pair of driven web propelling rollers cooperable to propel a Web or webs therebetween, a traction ring surrounding each roller at a determined location axially along the roller and the outer diameter of the ring being greater than the diameter of the roller, means carried by each roller to frictionally engage its ring to support it for yielding rotary and radial movement relative to the roller, the axial location of the traction ring on one roller corresponding to the axial 1ocation of the cooperating ring on the opposed roller whereby the said Webs are engaged between the peripheral surfaces of the opposed cooperating rings and propelled thereby.

21. A pair of opposed web propelling rollers cooperable to propel a web or webs therebetween, each roller including a driven shaft, a traction ring surrounding the shaft at a determined location axially along the shaft, means carried by the shaft to frictionally engage the ring to support it for yielding rotary and radial movement relative to the shaft, the axial location of the traction ring on one roller corresponding to the axial location of the cooperating ring on the opposed roller whereby the said Webs are engaged between the peripheral surfaces of the opposed cooperating rings and propelled thereby.

WILLIAM F. HUCK. 

